Ecosystem Roles

<p>Fin whales have little pressure exerted on them by predatory animals and thus their main contribution to the general ecosystem is to consume large amounts of plankton. Their carcasses also support communities of benthic animals as they fall to the ocean floor and are consumed. As do other large whales, fin whales also host large communities of parasites, such as barnacles, lice, and worms.<span> ("Balaenoptera physalus", 2008; Croll et al., 2002; Gambell, 1985)</span></p>